These things always happen at the worst times I'm currently not working neither is my husband very worried about my cat. Char was always very happy and quite fat. We are from Washington state and he always liked to eat birds and mice, was always bringing them in the house. We move to Arizona, been here about 3 years now and don't have a vet. Recently I've noticed that even though sure is eating a lot, he's losing weight. Today he threw up. Very worried about him and looking for some assistance on what test to do to find out what's wrong with him and keep cost down at the same time. I love but my husband lost his job and I did too! I very much hate that I have to keep cost down at a time when he needs help so please any help I really would appreciate I want to help my baby. Like I said he eats a lot, seems to drink a lot of water, is going to the bathroom a lot, and today he threw up!! Thank you very much

At this point, I'm afraid your best option is to find a local vet, and the sooner the better. The weight loss, in particular, is troubling. I'd start with a stool sample to rule out parasites--probably not very expensive. A general blood test and blood chemistry profile would probably help a lot, and a urinalysis. It would at least help rule out things like kidney failure or diabetes. Of course, the more tests you do, the more it will cost. Maybe the vet will let you set up some sort of payment plan so that you can spread the costs out over more time?

__________________
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"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

It's not worms, I would have seem that. Could it be a different parasite? I'm afraid the one thing I have learned about Arizona if that no ones gonna give credit, especially a vet. This is a horrible place to live. I know blood test, I was hoping someone could give me some specific ones to ask for to look for diabetics, kidney or something like that. As it is now it has to wait through the week end. Any ideas on food to keep down between now and then? I gave him some milk...

I should add. He has always eaten a lot. He howls at night to make us get up and feed him. We lived in Mexico for a year two and a half years ago and because of what I had to feed the dogs there, Char got used to wet food. I feed him fancy feast and meow mix. I mix them together. He goes through 4 cans a day. I know it's not the best food but between the dogs who eat Wellness wet mixed with Grain Free Simply Nourish, I spend a ton on pet food... I will check back a little later... thanks in advance.

You need to go to the vet right away . is he drinking any water if not he could be getting dehydration . A animal lose fluid when they vomit a lot . He could had ate something toxic or maybe a rodent that been poisoned. Your cat can't wait for someone to tell you what to do .

I wouldn't hurt to call around to the vets in your area and ask about a payment plan, beachin. Seriously--I think the vet visit is a must at this point. Even though funds are tight, I'd strongly suggest at least a urinalysis and a stool analysis. Unfortunately, because you don't have a vet right now, there will likely be an office call fee (once you're an established customer at a vet, they might allow you to just bring in a stool sample and some free catch urine if you can get it, but as a new customer, the vet is likely going to insist on seeing your cat the first visit).

A urinalysis would pick up diabetes (sugar spills into the urine) and might be able to pick up kidney problems (specific gravity can tell you a lot about the kidneys). Some worms are difficult to find in the stool--and some parasites are blood-borne so they wouldn't show in the stool at all. But you can often rule out things like tapeworms, hookworms, etc, with a simple fecal analysis.

Milk is probably not a good idea. I don't have a lot of cat experience, but as I understand it, many of them are lactose intolerant.

Wet food is better than dry for cats, I know--and the less grain in the food, the better. Cats are obligate carnivores, so they need meat. Many cats do really well on a raw meat diet. I'm hoping some of our cat gurus will sign on later to give you some advice.

__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

He needs at the least a blood test and a urine test. You should be able to get a basic blood test and urinalysis for around a 100.00. No milk, most cats can't tolerate cows milk. If he's been eating things like mice, good chance he has parasites, even if you can't see them in his poop. I had a cat come down with bartonellosis from a flea bite, he used to go out in a run. Very nasty, it's a blood parasite. Very bland diet, baby food, check that it doesn't have any onion or garlic. You can add some plain chicken stock.

He's not eating mice now obviously you've never lived in Arizona there's no mice here for him to eat there's nothing furry at all here for him to eat. He used to eat mice and things in Washington. Also I know living in Arizona that know no one H take payments. Believe me I had a Home Invasion here about a year ago. My Japanese Chin had a heart attack and died as a result of that. The police still have $750 if my money that they clearly never intend to return, I tried hysterically to get them to release it while in emergency at the vet with him. The vet also knew that I had just had the Home Invasion the day before and was terrified to be outside my house... Under those circumstances I learned that I'm not in Kansas, (Washington) , anymore. Not even close. People here are horrible.

Char is drinking lots of water and eating. I have every intention of taking him to the vet. I can afford $100. He has lost 12 pounds in a the last 6 to 8 months. He weighs 14 now. I weight him a little bit ago. I hope it's diabetics or something treatable, not cancer. I really can't take loosing another animal now. How do you treat that and or kidney problems or thyroid?

Also, he only goes outside into my fenced in, brick wall yard. There are no mice, nothing toxic. He isn't throwing up a lot. He did this morning and I think last night. Like I said he's drinking a ton of water. I will try and get him in Monday. Maybe I can have them do the stool sample and urine test, take his blood and be ready to run that if nothing is showing from the stool and urinalysis test...

Also, he only goes outside into my fenced in, brick wall yard. There are no mice, nothing toxic. He isn't throwing up a lot. He did this morning and I think last night. Like I said he's drinking a ton of water. I will try and get him in Monday. Maybe I can have them do the stool sample and urine test, take his blood and be ready to run that if nothing is showing from the stool and urinalysis test...

This is what the vet wanted $69 to sedate, they won't touch him without that. 49 for visit, 207 for blood, 35 lab prep fee, 27 for fecal, 25 for payment plan set up. Then possibly another 89 for pre-op lab set up... $411 to $500. I left.

Went and had a $47 visit and $23 for fecal smear $37 in house urinalysis. He has diabetis and a urinary track infection. . Total with food and medicine $184.00. The place I went wouldn't take payments ever under any circumstances but the whole thing was worth it!! And they said he nipped at them but didn't even bite them. The other place was highway robbery! Now let's hope the diet works. Thanks everyone...:

What is the "diet"? If you want to save money and feed your cat better, you don't need prescription cat food to treat diabetes. Any low carb *wet* food will do, even the Fancy Feast flavours that don't have wheat gluten.

Is he getting insulin injections as well? Most cats require at least a short time on insulin to give their pancreas an opportunity to heal.